> I remain puzzled about what precisely the author believes Christianity itself brings to the questions and life situations she is writing about, above and beyond what the simple act of being a self-aware human can.

I interpreted this essay as largely about the bonds that form within a tightly knit community, as well as how this larger community can support, enrich, and - ultimately - outlast the individual members.

For the author of this article, this social fabric happens to be constructed out of a shared religious faith, and I think this faith is essential to her essay.

I (an avowed atheist) would suggest that the secular world has failed to present reasonable alternatives to this (positive) aspect of such communities. I could never share the religious beliefs that these people have, but I remain ever envious of their sense of kinship which transcends both blood lines and geography.